America's STORYTELLER
Telling Untold Stories in Photographs, Prose & Public Speaking
STORIES OF GARDENS & GARDENERS
Click on each photograph to enlarge.
The first time I noticed the beauty
of a River Birch tree...
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| Copyright 2007 Marcia Norwood |
...was in a Secret Garden...
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| Copyright 2007 Marcia Norwood |
...at Ronald McDonald House near Chicago.
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| Copyright 2009 Marcia Norwood |
RMH became our "home away from home" for my daughter, Faith, and I, over the years when she had surgeries at the Shriners Hospital in Chicago.
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| Ronald McDonald House. Copyright 2009 Marcia Norwood |
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| Copyright 2007 Marcia Norwood |
The house
is decorated
like an
English manor...
something
out of the pages of
Frances
Hodgson
Burnett's
novel,
The Secret Garden.
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Each
bedroom
is
named for
a
flower.
but - Shhhhhh -
please don't ruin the surprise
for the children and families
who will have the joy
of discovering it for themselves.
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| Copyright 2010 Marcia Norwood |
most mysterious-looking place
anyone could imagine..."
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| Copyright 2010 Marcia Norwood |
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| Daughter Faith Discovers Secret Stairway. Copyright 2010 Marcia Norwood |
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| Daughter Faith Discovers Secret Stairway. Copyright 2010 Marcia Norwood |
Faith was born in China, with cleft lip and palate. She became our daughter through the miracle of adoption, in 2002, when she was eight years old.
She is a strong, young woman of faith, but sometimes, my momma's heart breaks for what she has endured - physically and emotionally.
RMH became a sweet refuge for my beautiful daughter and I, as we prepared our hearts and minds for her multiple medical challenges.
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| Copyright 2010 Marcia Norwood |
Beyond the locked gate to RMH Secret Garden...
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| Copyright 2010 Marcia Norwood |
...I discovered a tranquil place to think and pray...
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| This statue was a gift from the family of a little boy who stayed at RMH near Loyola. The statue was given in memory of the little boy when he went to Heaven. Copyright 2010 Marcia Norwood |
...in the midst of a beautiful garden.
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| Copyright 2010 Marcia Norwood |
I noticed the River Birch for the first time.
It's worn, curled up
anything-but-perfect bark
intrigued me.
I found beauty
in the imperfections.
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| Copyright 2009 Marcia Norwood |
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| Copyright 2009 Marcia Norwood |
The leaves sparkled silver-green in the sunshine.
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| Copyright 2009 Marcia Norwood |
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| Copyright 2009 Marcia Norwood |
My body, heart, and soul rested in the Secret Garden.
on my skin, and
listened to the wind
blow through the silver-green leaves of the
River Birch tree.
I came to the conclusion that if God could bring beauty from a
gnarled River Birch -
I could trust Him to bring
beauty from my
anything-but-perfect life.
I talked to God in the garden.
He talked to me.
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| Copyright 2009 Marcia Norwood |
But He said to me,
"My grace is sufficient for you,
for my power is made perfect in weakness."
Therefore I will boast all the more gladly
about my weaknesses,
so that Christ's power may rest on me.
2 Corinthians 12:9
The Holy Bible, New International Version
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| Copyright 2009 Marcia Norwood |
I thought of my My mother's favorite hymn:
Charles A. Miles, 1913
Copyright: Public Domain
Scripture: John 20:15-16
I come to the garden alone,
While the dew is still on the roses,
And the voice I hear falling on my ear
The Son of God discloses.
- Refrain:
And He walks with me, and He talks with me,
And He tells me I am His own;
And the joy we share as we tarry there,
None other has ever known.
Is so sweet the birds hush their singing,
And the melody that He gave to me
Within my heart is ringing.
I’d stay in the garden with Him,
Though the night around me be falling,
But He bids me go; through the voice of woe
His voice to me is calling.
I have enjoyed the Secret Garden in every season.
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| Copyright 2009 Marcia Norwood |
Even in the chill of winter
there is a glow within the garden
that brings light to one's soul...
if you can find
beauty in imperfections.
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| Copyright 2010 Marcia Norwood |
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| Copyright 2010 Marcia Norwood |
The God of Creation
wants to talk to you, too.
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| This statue was a gift from the family of a little boy who stayed at RMH near Loyola. The statue was given in memory of the little boy when he went to Heaven. Copyright 2010 Marcia Norwood |
Are you listening?
Look for Him in the garden.
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| This statue was a gift from the family of a little boy who stayed at RMH near Loyola. The statue was given in memory of the little boy when he went to Heaven. Copyright 2010 Marcia Norwood |
River Birch
'Betula nigra'
River Birch is a type of deciduous tree that is wonderful for moist, wet soils.
It is relatively disease resistant.
It makes an excellent tree for urban environments and can be managed easily.
River Birch is a specimen tree that has an exfoliating bark that exposes the inner bark which can be colored gray-brown to cinnamon brown to reddish brown and salmon pink.
It is an excellent tree for home landscaping.
I was inspired by the Secret Garden,
to plant a River Birch tree
in my own garden.
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| My Little River Birch - planted in Spring of 2010. Copyright 2010 Marcia Norwood |
Look at it now!
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| Fall 2013. Copyright 2013 Marcia Norwood |
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| My River Birch: Perfectly Imperfect!!! Fall 2013. Copyright 2013 Marcia Norwood |
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| My River Birch: Perfectly Imperfect!!! Fall 2013. Copyright 2013 Marcia Norwood |
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| My River Birch: Perfectly Imperfect!!! Fall 2013. Copyright 2013 Marcia Norwood |
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| Faith and Marcia, Copyright 2009 Marcia Norwood |
Thanks for stopping by!
Come back again, and bring a friend!
Marcia Norwood
America's STORYTELLER
Telling Untold Stories in Photographs, Prose and Public Speaking
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| Navy Pier. Copyright 2009 Marcia Norwood |
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